High Tech Sound & Vision

We Review the 5 Best-Selling 4K TVs

True 4K generally refers to a resolution of 4096 x 2160 pixels. This gives a clearer, better defined picture. It’s not about sharpness, it’s about maximum detail and texture – those 8.5 million tiny pixels make a huge difference to your viewing experience. The result is images that look incredibly realistic, more like looking through a window than watching TV.

This is especially effective on a large screen, so go for as big a screen as you can. However, any screen will have a vastly improved picture quality, so much so that the film industry considers 4K capable of reproducing the resolution and richness you get with 35mm film!

But what do you need to know before purchasing your new 4K TV?

LCD, LED LCD, or OLED?

Aside from projection sets, there are basically only two types of 4K TVs on the market – LCD and OLED. Unless you have a lot of disposable income, you’ll probably be buying an LCD TV.

Most TVs today are LED LCD. LED stands for Light Emitting Diodes, and LCD for Liquid Crystal Display. The basic technology is the same in that both television types have two layers of polarized glass through which the liquid crystals both block and pass light. So really, LED TVs are a subset of LCD TVs. These TVs can dynamically light up specific portions of the screen and dim other parts to better represent a mix of light and dark areas in a scene — a feature known as active dimming or local dimming.

With OLED, or Organic Light Emitting Diodes, each pixel provides its own illumination. It uses the principle of electrophosphorescence to convert electrical energy into light in a highly efficient manner. Because it doesn’t need a backlight, the screen can be thinner and lighter than a LCD screen. However, OLED does have some issues including stratospheric prices and an uncertainty whether screens will retain burn-in images from displaying a static picture for too long.

HDR or Not?

HDR, or High Dynamic Range, delivers more colours, greater contrast levels, and increased brightness. Essentially, it’s an upgraded 4K, and increasingly, you’ll see HDR10 or HDR Premium, Advanced or Plus advertised as a feature.

Connections?

It may seem like an afterthought, but pay attention to the number of HDMI inputs a 4K TV has. Manufacturers looking to shave costs may offer fewer HDMI plugs on the back. These ports can get used up really quickly. Make sure the ports support HDMI 2.0, necessary for the increased data bandwidth. This enables playback of 4K feeds with full 4:4:4 colour sampling at frame rates of up to 60fps.

Overview

Design-wise, this Samsung definitely looks the part. The thin, dark bezel has a picture framing quality which encourages full screen immersion, whilst the overall design is one of premium luxury.

Solidly constructed, it’s clean and uncluttered by cables and wires – these are ingeniously hidden away in the stand!

What We Like

Installing this Samsung is simple, thanks to clear, easy to follow instructions, and the picture quality is astounding. Samsung have developed PurColour which can display approximately 1 billion – yes, you did read right, 1 billion different shades and colours. This is 64 times more than conventional UHD TVs!

This TV also incorporates Samsung’s UHD contrast enhancing technology, which independently controls the brightness on different screen areas, thus providing more detail in dark areas and an overall boost in clarity.

Thanks to the Smart Things app you can remotely access other Samsung devices on your home network. Devices such as other TVs, security cameras, fridge freezers, robot vacuums, Wi-Fi lighting and thermostat heating. So, if you’re a real tech nerd, the whole house can be controlled from one smartphone.

What Needs Improving

There’s no scart, headphone/audio out or Bluetooth, but you don’t actually need them with this Samsung TV.

9.3Expert Score

The Final Verdict

Samsung have produced a sleek and stylish smart TV, which has the ability to effectively integrate into home automation, all at a remarkable price.

Overview

Coming in at a decent screen size of 108 cms, or 43 inches if you are old school, this sturdy LG 4K is plenty big enough to suit most family living rooms. Crafted with a slim, seamless appearance it would look great in any interior.

The ports are hidden away neatly and the stand feels solid and durable. So if you’re looking to jump into a 4K Ultra HD TV system but don’t want to spend the earth, this TV could be the one for you.

What We Like

We were seriously impressed with the audio quality of the LG 43. While it’s true that sound bars would definitely take this to another level, this is one of the best sounding TVs around.

This model has what LG calls Active HDR, which gives the best contrast between the brightest whites and the darkest blacks. Also, with in-plane switching providing the widest viewing angle possible, no matter where you sit the picture quality is excellent, and the whole experience is fully immersive.

With a user friendly remote control, an outstandingly low input lag making gaming a dream, and the inclusion of Google Assist, this is a really good, budget friendly 4K TV.

What Needs Improving

The installation could be easier, and even following the user manual, it took us a while to finalise the set up.

9.0Expert Score

The Final Verdict

The LG is probably the best 4K TV you can get for the money. It’s Smart, has Catch Up, good sound quality, an Ultra High Definition resolution panel, excellent viewing angles and is environmentally friendly. What more do you want from a TV at this price?

Overview

Toshiba have pulled out all the stops with this model. From the front, it looks like it should cost much more than it does. The frame around the screen is sleek and trim, and the whole thing appears well built. There’s a thin metallic strip attached to the bottom edge bringing a look of luxury and futuristic style.

Set neatly into the rear, the connections are unexpectedly numerous, including four HDMIs, three USBs, wireless, hard wired network connections, and a Scart socket.

So far, so good.

What We Like

The display itself is 4K ready, which means its output is 3840×2160 pixels. Coming with Dolby Vision HDR, considered to be the superior version of HDR, the picture has decent deep blacks, great skin tones and a vivid colour range to rival much pricier models. The low input lag makes it an ideal gaming machine, too.

Sound wise, the Toshiba is well rounded, with voices integrating well into the general soundstage, a good midrange, and a natural, balanced bass.

Being compatible with Alexa means you can control it with your voice if you own an Echo or Echo Dot. Other highlights include Netflix and Youtube, plus Catch Up services courtesy of a built-in Freeview Play app.

What Needs Improving

The Toshiba’s Smart interface could be more intuitive, but this doesn’t hinder the usability to any extent, and therefore our enjoyment remains intact!

8.9Expert Score

The Final Verdict

If you are looking for a 4K UHD TV, this Toshiba is well worth a look, especially for the price. It has some really useful features plus great audio, visual quality and gaming ability.

Overview

Hisense has been steadily making inroads in the high-end TV market, and this is their addition to the 4K genre.

The sleek and slim design incorporates an unobtrusively thin black bezel framing the larger-than-life screen. The stand is necessarily sturdy, whilst the TV has three HDMI inputs two of which that are 2.0-certified, and two USB ports that are able to cater for 4K/HD playback media drives.

So far, then, the Hisense is looking good.

What We Like

The Hisense has several different modes for the audio settings, including Standard, Music and Total Sonics, so it’s worth playing around until you find the one that suits you, or your viewing choices. We prefer Standard and Total Sonics together as they bring a great level of clarity, and tonal balance.

The colour, contrast and transparency are great, with excellent resolution, deep blacks, and vibrant brightness – nothing to jar you out of the immersive viewing experience.

All of the major UK catch-up TV apps are readily accessible thanks to Freeview Play, and Hisense takes care of us streaming addicts with in-built Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and YouTube apps that all support 4K HDR playback. All the apps have handy shortcuts on the remote control, but are equally accessible via the intuitive home screen.

What Needs Improving

We found that the cables were a little short, but nothing that couldn’t be accommodated.

9.1Expert Score

The Final Verdict

If you’re looking for the big-screen gaming experience, with great audio and picture quality, and a whole heap of decent apps, the stylish Hisense is the package for you.

Overview

There’s no doubt this Sony looks the part. Its slim bezels keep this 4K TV looking stylish and sleek, and designed to allow space for a soundbar underneath the neat legs are constructed with durability in mind. The cables are hidden away from sight, so even they can’t spoil the high end luxury look of this TV.

What We Like

We were very impressed with Sony’s clarity and tonal balance. The picture is sharp and free from noise and interference, with deep rich blacks and bright, vibrant light tones. The full immersive experience benefits greatly from the super fine detail and texture without having an overly processed look. All in all, it gives a very clean performance.

The Sony KD49 happily demonstrated its ability by putting out a wide, spacious soundstage in our tests, and while its virtual surround options don’t actually fill a larger room, the sound you get is easily wider than the TV it’s coming from. Voices are clear, with a decent dynamism, and the sound effects have plenty of room to breathe.

For us gamers, there’s good news. Sony has clearly paid attention to latency, because the game mode is very effective, with an input lag of less than 22ms.

What Needs Improving

Whilst Sony have obviously put a lot of thought into the design of the TV itself, we feel the remote control is lacking in style. It’s user friendly and comfortable to hold, but is a little ‘clunky’.

9.5Expert Score

The Final Verdict

The natural colour balance, excellent motion processing and superb audio performance – not to mention the breadth of its feature set – makes the Sony KD49 a TV to be reckoned with.

About The Gadget Nerds

We’re a small bunch of tech-savvy geeks in our late 20’s and early 30’s. Our passion for the tech industry led to the creation of The Gadget Nerds, where we have the honor of reviewing some of the best must-have gadgets that you can pick up on Amazon.

We remain dedicated in our mission to review the best tech products, taking the time and hassle away from you as a buyer. Our approach is to be thorough and impartial, and ultimately let you be the judge.

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